Saucon Valley High School hosted the District XI 3A Girls Singles tennis tournament, and it was here that senior Natalia Pedraza hoped to extend her season.

She drew top-seeded Paraskevi Briegel in the first round, and knew that the match would be a challenge. The Stroudsburg junior won last year’s district title, defeating Parkland’s Joanna Wu in a match that surpassed three-and-a-half hours.

Pedraza’s game plan when she hit the court Monday was to not overthink the match and stay composed.

“I just wanted to come in really relaxed,” said Pedraza. “Play with no pressure, and play my best.”

The senior was dealing with some discomfort in her right shoulder, a recurring injury she’s dealt with the last few seasons. She had it wrapped with Kinesio Tape and did her best to perform with the pain.

During the match, Pedraza matched Briegel’s pace on volleys, and a number of those volleys went back and forth numerous times before the point was decided.

In the end, the Mountie took the match, winning in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. Briegel moved into the semifinals with a win over Emmaus’ Jocelyn Chow, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarters.

Pedraza was disappointed that her season may have come to an end, but she was happy with how she competed.

“I thought I played pretty well,” she said.

The points didn’t come easy for Briegel and she made the reigning champ work for the win.

“It was definitely a good match,” Pedraza said.

She believed she was on the same level when they were counterpunching along the baseline. They both had powerful forehands that made for those extended volleys.

Considering Briegel’s championship pedigree, head coach Shadimon Navarro thought she held her own in the opening round.

“She played amazing,” said Navarro. “She did a really good job. I’m so proud of her.”

While Pedraza’s individual tennis season has ended, there is still a chance that the district will entertain a doubles tournament. She said that’s still a possibility, and if it happens, she’ll be ready to represent Whitehall once again.

Before the season started, Pedraza was doubtful that the district would hold a singles tennis tournament. Even though it was short lived, she relished the experience. Her goal this season was to qualify for the district tourney and she accomplished that objective.

“I’m glad I got to go,” said Pedraza.

It wasn’t the year she envisioned. They had to play what amounted to some of the best teams in the conference, and she found herself opposite a number of top-flight players. The team finished 2-6 on the year.

Pedraza said that she’s considering a number of colleges and will make a decision at some point in the future. She plans to major in chemistry and will also look to continue her tennis career at the next stop.

She also said she plans to continue playing club tennis throughout the summer. It’s been her routine for a number of years.

As for this strange and bumpy season, she said that being able to compete for Whitehall was the most important thing.

“I’m glad we got to play,” she said.

With a regular schedule, the senior would have racked up a lot more wins. She had been the team’s No. 1 singles player since her freshman season. She tallied a lot of wins for the maroon and gold, and was one of the best players to come through the program.